Premier Chris Minns dodged a threat and a small band of pro-Palestine protesters at City Hall on Wednesday night to deliver a message of support for the "progressive but pragmatic" Hunter region.
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Mr Minns ended his first visit to Newcastle as Premier by making the keynote address at a joint Business Hunter-University of Newcastle function at City Hall.
The organisers transferred pre-dinner drinks to the nearby Civic Theatre bar after a threat related to a terror suspect who had targeted Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp earlier in the day.
Police have charged a 19-year-old man who allegedly entered Mr Crakanthorp's Hunter Street office about 12.30pm on Wednesday after writing a manifesto threatening to kill the MP.
The Newcastle Herald understands police checked City Hall because the manifesto mentioned bomb-making.
Mr Crakanthorp attended the function at City Hall, which is 100 metres from his office.
Mr Minns told the audience that the government, business and workers were "driven by the same motivations" in the Hunter.
"To maintain that industrial spine, to preserve the best of Newcastle while embracing the next generation of opportunities and supporting the growing population that comes with success," he told the crowd.
He said the government had a responsibility to "accelerate clean energy" for industry and consumers and "that future runs right through the Hunter".
The Premier spruiked the government's commitments to build the next fleet of Tangara trains in NSW and support clean energy with its $485 million Net Zero Manufacturing program to help make components for renewable power generation.
He said the government also was committed to building more homes to make housing more affordable for future generations.
"We need to keep building new homes, partly through the Transport Oriented Development Program, partly through other forms of housing," he said.
Mr Minns said he was open to discussing a Hunter industry proposal for the government to set up a $500 million infrastructure fund to release up to 40,000 housing lots.
"We would be," he said.
"I saw that report was released by one of the industry bodies. We're really keen to look at it."
Michael Parris
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
